Video - 001

[hythlodaeus]

[After waking up in a bed three times too small and experiencing an absolutely baffling exchange, Hythlodaeus finds himself in the company of a Tropius that manages to be taller than he is. Which is quite the feat at eight feet tall. He looks through his things and finds what is clearly a communicator. A face, obscured by a white mask and black hood comes onto the feed. His voice is alien to himself as he speaks; a rich mid-alto spoken slowly.]

Good... evening, everyone. [He both hopes that there is and is not an "everyone".] This is an effort, I suppose, to see if I am alone in this... simulation. Which, by the by, seems to have been given little oversight by my measure. Though on further examination, I doubt that an authentic experience was the goal.

[He's rambling, but he doesn't seem self-conscious about this.]

Well... There's only one direction to go, so I may as well start walking, hm?

[He shakes his head a little.]

Oh, my apologies. The oddity of this situation seems to have robbed me of my manners. My name is Hythlodaeus.

Comments

video; privated

[amaure]

[Fortunately this is one of Solus' days off. Partially because he's not scheduled to work on the weekends, but mainly because he chose to take this day and the day before off for personal reasons. Seeing as he works even if he's not schedule, due to his own personal projects.

He's spent most of the day nursing his hangover from the day before, and while he's decently skilled at keeping up an act of being just fine, there's little that could prepare him for seeing such a familiar mask and robe. Let alone hearing the name. He nearly drops his 'gear as he scrambles to contact him. When he does, he's at least dressed, but he certainly looks as tired as he feels.

He tries his best to keep his voice even and calm, but there's the slightest bit of an emotional waver to it.]

Well did I know that many could yet be brought here, but I had not imagined that you—or any from Amaurot—would be among them.

You are in New Bark Town, yes?

[Maybe a little to straight to business, but he cannot let himself get too wrapped up in his emotions at the moment!!]

[hythlodaeus]

Hades! [Oh... Dear. He sort of figured that anywhere he was... Naturally, so would his dearest Emet-Selch. He holds in his worry, his bafflement, his... Everything. Behind the mask, figuratively and not so figuratively. "From Amaurot"... He certainly was, in a sense.]

Hades! Oh, I'm so glad to see you! [And confused. All of this was very confusing. But a question was asked and an answer he would recieve.] New... Bark Town. Yes. I see it on a signpost. There is naught but locked doors and lips, however, so I deign to venture north. Are you near?

[His worries simply could not stop piling up. They wouldn't last forever, but he'd hardly had the time to think. Hades clearly saw him as the genuine article... Oh dear...]

[amaure]

[Hearing his name spoken so...simply stuns him. When was the last time he heard someone say it? Eons, no doubt. The way he stares into the feed, wide-eyed and uncertain for a moment says enough, doesn't it?

But a moment later, he shakes it off, a light glower surfacing to his features.]

Nay, I am not. I am some weeks away—in Goldenrod. West of your current location.

[He pauses, bringing a hand to his chin as he considers the fastest way to ensure Hythlodaeus' arrival...as the thought strikes him, his eyebrows tick upward.]

Ah—I've an ally that may yet be near you, mayhap he will indulge my request to fetch you. He is likewise from our world—though...he is not one of us.

[There's a slight flash of emotion behind his golden eyes as he studies Hythlodaeus on his screen, his mouth pulling into a tight line.]

What is it you last recall, my friend?

[hythlodaeus]

Ah, a friend of yours? I'd like to know him by name and appearance if possible. I'd hate to pass him without being any wiser.

[Oh. Oof. Yikes. Hm. He hates that last question there. He doesn't want to lie— He closes his eyes, beak falling. He opens them and looks away.]

...My most vivid memories are the last days of Amaurot.

[amaure]

[He nods, but waits to tell him further details about Estinien till he hears what he has to say. So he can try to place where he is, since he's somewhat aware that...time can be a little strange.

That the dead can indeed come here. The answer makes his chest tighten exponentially, and his gaze quivers a moment.]

I see.

[With a hard swallow, he continues.]

My ally's name is Estinien, he's of a warrior's build, with sharp features. Long, unkempt white hair—looks about as wild as he is. He should be accompanied by a small white fox that is ice-aspected.

[hythlodaeus]

[He clears his throat.] I remember the events that transpired after... [He shakes his head. Enough of that for now. The micro expressions on his face are so painful. Oh right, he was supposed to be surprised about his changes, wasn't he?]

Ah, he sounds difficult to miss among all these... Strangely dressed people.

[Hythlodaeus is seen waving to someone off screen.]

They act as if they've never seen a mask in their lives... And... And you! You've dyed your hair! ...You missed a bit, you know!

[amaure]

[So he...knows about the dissenters, then? About...Hydaelyn? He wants to ask further, but figures that may be best for when they are reunited in person.]

He is likewise strangely dressed, but even among the general populace. I fear our Amaurotine attire is far from the societal standard in this faux-reality.

[The bit about his hair makes him pause. How does he even begin to explain this.]

...It is not dye, merely a change in style and taste.

Video;

[schachmeister]

I'm afraid it's not a simulation, [A pause as Armin mentally attempts his name, before deciding nope. He doesn't want to mangle it.] sir. This is a very real world you've been pulled to.

[hythlodaeus]

Oh no, no. There is no need for formal address. You may simply use my name.

It may look and feel real in a tactile sense, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a simulation. I’ve already bumped into a couple things that just couldn’t and wouldn’t happen in a well-constructed reality. Have you not experienced the oddities for yourself?

[His Tropius noses into frame. ] These creatures, for one.

[schachmeister]

[Right. His name.]

Would you mind repeating your name? It's a bit long.

The pokemon? What about them? I agree they are quite unusual if I compare them to animals from my own world, but this is a completely different world, after all. Isn't it logical that the animals here are also very different?

[hythlodaeus]

Hythlodaeus. Hyth-lo-dae-us. [ He gives him a thoughtful expression.] You could call me “Hyth” if my name is too difficult for you.

[He draws out a little sound from his throat.]

They are clearly creations, though no one seems to know by whose hands. Some of the people seem a little less than real, too. I just dealt with a woman claiming to be my mother, yet I cannot access the house again. ...The constant music, too. Don’t you hear it? I doubt these are the only tells.

[schachmeister]

I'll try and get it right.

[He's repeating the name in his mind a few times, trying to make it stick. It's just... very unlike the sort of names he is used to. He comes from a world where names run more along the lines of Erwin, Mina, and Thomas than something like Hythlodaeus. But he'll try because to him, that feels the most polite thing to do.]

The constant music is odd, I admit. And the woman--

[The less said about that the better.]

But what makes you believe the pokemon are creations? To me, they behave as animals are want to do. Very intelligent animals, for the most part, yes, but still animals.

[hythlodaeus]

[he gives him a little head tilt. ]

An easy mistake if one hasn’t spent some time with the concept and practice but I can assure you they are Creations! Sufficiently designed creatures are indistinguishable from one theoretically untouched by an architect’s hands... Though I doubt you would be able to tell the difference!

[He smiles and begins to laugh his little fufufu laugh. ]

Context is key. If everything else is an obvious construction, then why wouldn’t the animals also be similarly created? Just because the creator paid more attention to the animals than the setting only proves my point! Insufficient thought in one area and focus in another...

I admit that animals are quite the enjoyable subject matter.

voice

[burnishingmad]

What would lead you to believe this is a simulation?

Voice;

[hythlodaeus]

Fufufu... What makes you think that it isn’t?

this is so different from our other cr lmao

[burnishingmad]

I don't recall saying I thought it isn't.

I was just curious what brought you to thinking it is.

Well this is hythlodaeus and not bastard rat man!!!

[hythlodaeus]

Oh nearly everything. The suddenness of being brought in, the way I can’t seem to sit on ledges, the single purposed people, the constant music... there must be more clues, though I find these sufficient tells.

What of your own experiences?

TRUE

[burnishingmad]

[He's got his own thoughts regarding the 'suddenness of being brought in' but.]

The constant music is an annoyance. Why can't you sit on ledges? [THAT'S WEIRD MAN.]

I've only been here a few short weeks, most of it spent walking to different places.

[hythlodaeus]

[ The music is weird but thankfully his saintly patience hasn’t even begun to be tested.]

Then you must have seen more than I have. I’ve been here all of ten minutes... Tell me about your travels. Or, failing that, yourself at least. A pattern must emerge.

[firstonesexpert]

Hi Hythlodaeus! [oh hey, perfect pronunciation on her first shot. Weird names are common on Etheria.] This isn't a simulation, we really have been pulled through into some kind of alternative universe! I've yet to discover the direct cause of this, or if there's any kind of portal technology capable of such in this universe but it's still very real!

[hythlodaeus]

[Good work, little lady!]

Ah, but the nature of this alternate universe could very well be a construction! I theorize we are inside of a rather powerful computer at best and a hastily designed star at worst. Either has a chance of collpasing without warning, which would be quite unpleasant for us all!

[firstonesexpert]

I've been inside a collapsing universe, and I can guarantee that it feels very different to this! Currently this one seems extremely structurally sound, so unless someone finds some sort of key to set it off then it's very likely that it should continue being stable!

[hythlodaeus]

Unfortunately, so have I... There is a length of time before it truly falls apart. Be it days, months, years... While it may not be actively collapsing, it is not well constructed. I fear that it would be devilishly simple to find a loose thread to pull it all apart.

[A small wistful sigh]

I have to wonder what prevents that. ...What was the collapse of your universe like?

[He would be shier about asking ordinarily, but she seemed plenty content to talk about it.]

[firstonesexpert]

[Her eyes light up with an almost childish glee.] OH! Someone tried to open a portal that separated the subdimension of Despondos from the greater universe, only the previous person to attempt it destroyed our means of doing so, so when Catra activated the portal it caused the subdimension to destabilize and begin to collapse in on itself! People and physical objects started getting erased from the collective universe, and thus people's memories of the objects themselves were also erased!

[She tilts her head as her grin widens eagerly.] The only way to stop it was to have someone enter the portal and close it from the inside by removing the Sword of Power, trapping the person outside of reality for the rest of eternity!!

[hythlodaeus]

[His mouth quirks into a smile. Long had it been that anyone could name things, places, and people so casually where he did not know and intimately understand the components. ...Being many thousands of years old, he most easily associates this behavior with that of a young child telling a made-up story and meets this with good cheer.]

That sounds like quite the adventure. Were you frightened?